Barton County, Kansas
Barton County (county code BT) is a county located in Central Kansas, in the Central United States. As of the 2010 census, the county population was 27,674. Its county seat and most populous city is Great Bend. The county is named in honor of Clara Barton, responsible for the founding of the American Red Cross. The Great Bend Micropolitan Statistical Area includes all of Barton County. History In 1878, Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway and parties from Marion County and McPherson County chartered the Marion and McPherson Railway Company.Marion County Kansas : Past and Present; Sondra Van Meter; MB Publishing House; LCCN 72-92041; 344 pages; 1972. In 1879, a branch line was built from Florence to McPherson, in 1880 it was extended to Lyons, in 1881 it was extended to Ellinwood.Fourth Annual Report of the Board of Railroad Commissioners for the Year Ending December 1, 1886 in State of Kansas; Kansas Publishing House; 1886. The line was leased and operated by the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway. The line from Florence to Marion, was abandoned in 1968.Railway Abandonment 1968 In 1992, the line from Marion to McPherson was sold to Central Kansas Railway. In 1993, after heavy flood damage, the line from Marion to McPherson was abandoned. The original branch line connected Florence, Marion, Canada, Hillsboro, Lehigh, Canton, Galva, McPherson, Conway, Windom, Little River, Mitchell, Lyons, Chase, Ellinwood. In 2001, an F4 tornado hit Hoisington. Law and government Barton County was a prohibition, or "dry", county until the Kansas Constitution was amended in 1986 and voters approved the sale of alcoholic liquor by the individual drink with a 30% food sales requirement. The food sales requirement was removed with voter approval in 2004. Geography According to the 2000 census, the county has a total area of , of which (or 99.28%) is land and (or 0.72%) is water. The geographic center of Kansas is located in Barton County. Adjacent counties *Russell County (north) *Ellsworth County (northeast) *Rice County (southeast) *Stafford County (south) *Pawnee County (southwest) *Rush County (west) Major highways Sources: National Atlas,National Atlas U.S. Census BureauU.S. Census Bureau TIGER shape files * U.S. Route 56 * U.S. Route 281 * Kansas Highway 4 * Kansas Highway 96 * Kansas Highway 156 Demographics ]] Map of Barton County (map legend)]] As of the U.S. Census in 2000, there were 28,205 people, 11,393 households, and 7,530 families residing in the county. The population density was 32 people per square mile (12/km²). There were 12,888 housing units at an average density of 14 per square mile (6/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 92.98% White, 1.15% Black or African American, 0.51% Native American, 0.23% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 3.51% from other races, and 1.60% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 8.31% of the population. There were 11,393 households out of which 31.30% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.10% were married couples living together, 7.80% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.90% were non-families. 30.20% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.30% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.41 and the average family size was 3.01. In the county the population was spread out with 26.00% under the age of 18, 9.00% from 18 to 24, 25.10% from 25 to 44, 22.00% from 45 to 64, and 17.90% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 93.80 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.10 males. The median income for a household in the county was $32,176, and the median income for a family was $39,929. Males had a median income of $28,803 versus $20,428 for females. The per capita income for the county was $16,695. About 9.90% of families and 12.90% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.00% of those under age 18 and 10.90% of those age 65 or over. Cities and towns Incorporated cities Name and population ( estimate): Annual estimates of the population to . Released . *Great Bend, }} (county seat) *Hoisington, }} *Ellinwood, }} *Claflin, }} *Pawnee Rock, }} *Albert, }} *Olmitz, }} *Galatia, }} *Susank, }} Unincorporated places * Beaver * Boyd * Dartmouth * Dent Spur * Dubuque * Dundee * Farhman * Heizer * Hitschmann * Millard * Odin * Redwing * South Hoisington * Stickney Townships Barton County is divided into twenty-two townships. The cities of Ellinwood, Great Bend, and Hoisington are considered governmentally independent and are excluded from the census figures for the townships. In the following table, the population center is the largest city (or cities) included in that township's population total, if it is of a significant size. } |- | Beaver || 04975 || || 108 || 1 (3) || 95 (37) || 0 (0) || 0.05% || |- | Buffalo || 09075 || || 490 || 6 (14) || 88 (34) || 0 (0) || 0.12% || |- | Cheyenne || 13025 || || 238 || 1 (4) || 174 (67) || 13 (5) || 6.80% || |- | Clarence || 13475 || || 125 || 1 (3) || 93 (36) || 0 (0) || 0 % || |- | Cleveland || 14025 || || 69 || 1 (2) || 94 (36) || 0 (0) || 0.12% || |- | Comanche || 15125 || || 452 || 3 (7) || 167 (64) || 0 (0) || 0.11% || |- | Eureka || 21750 || || 116 || 1 (3) || 93 (36) || 0 (0) || 0.24% || |- | Fairview || 22400 || Galatia || 129 || 1 (4) || 93 (36) || 0 (0) || 0.03% || |- | Grant || 27475 || || 79 || 1 (2) || 92 (36) || 0 (0) || 0.10% || |- | Great Bend || 28325 || || 1,839 || 18 (46) || 104 (40) || 1 (0) || 0.50% || |- | Independent || 33975 || Claflin || 844 || 9 (24) || 93 (36) || 0 (0) || 0.04% || |- | Lakin || 38125 || || 299 || 2 (4) || 172 (67) || 0 (0) || 0.23% || |- | Liberty || 39875 || || 321 || 4 (9) || 88 (34) || 0 (0) || 0.21% || |- | Logan || 41750 || || 176 || 2 (5) || 93 (36) || 0 (0) || 0.06% || |- | North Homestead || 51200 || || 133 || 1 (4) || 92 (36) || 0 (0) || 0.06% || |- | Pawnee Rock || 54900 || Pawnee Rock || 544 || 6 (15) || 93 (36) || 0 (0) || 0.05% || |- | South Bend || 66525 || || 682 || 7 (19) || 93 (36) || 0 (0) || 0.17% || |- | South Homestead || 66725 || || 343 || 4 (10) || 90 (35) || 1 (0) || 1.23% || |- | Union || 72025 || Susank || 128 || 1 (4) || 94 (36) || 0 (0) || 0.20% || |- | Walnut || 74825 || Albert, Olmitz || 474 || 5 (13) || 93 (36) || 0 (0) || 0 % || |- | Wheatland || 77600 || || 74 || 1 (2) || 94 (36) || 0 (0) || 0.14% || |- |colspan=9|Sources: |} Education Unified school districts The five school districts are part of the special education area of Barton County called Barton County Special Servieces. * Central Plans USD 112, effective July 1, 2010, consolidation of USD 328-Lorraine and USD 354-Claflin became USD 112. * Ellinwood USD 355 * Great Bend USD 428 * Hoisington USD 431 * Otis-Bison USD 403 (Rush County) Community colleges * Barton Community College See also * National Register of Historic Places listings in Barton County, Kansas References Further reading ;Kansas * History of the State of Kansas; William G. Cutler; A.T. Andreas Publisher; 1883. (Online HTML eBook) * Kansas : A Cyclopedia of State History, Embracing Events, Institutions, Industries, Counties, Cities, Towns, Prominent Persons, Etc; 3 Volumes; Frank W. Blackmar; Standard Publishing Co; 944 / 955 / 824 pages; 1912. (Volume1 - Download 54MB PDF eBook),(Volume2 - Download 53MB PDF eBook), (Volume3 - Download 33MB PDF eBook) ;USA * The Story of the Marking of the Santa Fe Trail by the Daughters of the American Revolution in Kansas and the State of Kansas; Almira Cordry; Crane Co; 164 pages; 1915. (Download 4MB PDF eBook) * ''The National Old Trails Road To Southern California, Part 1 (LA to KC); Automobile Club Of Southern California; 64 pages; 1916. (Download 6.8MB PDF eBook) External links ;County * Barton County - Official Website * Barton County - Directory of Public Officials * Barton County - Information, Skyways ;Maps * Barton County Map, KDOT * Kansas Highway Map, KDOT * Kansas Railroad Map, KDOT * Kansas School District Boundary Map, KSDE Category:Counties of Kansas Category:Barton County, Kansas Category:Established in 1867